&w=64&q=75)
Uganda might have come close to the title in 2018 with Quiin Abenakyo finishing 5th, but Nantumbwe, who also goes by ‘Ellah’, says Uganda has to clean its act first before hoping for a better performance.
The 32 year old had a lot to vent in a recent interview with radio Ruth Kalibbala, telling her that she was very frustrated by how Ugandan media, the Government and the people do not respect both the national and international beauty pageants.
Looking back at how Ugandan beauty queens and the Miss Uganda office are treated, she said, the Miss World organisers couldn’t allow their title to fall in such an environment.
“Well of course there is other politics, but as an organization they also have to see that we are a country that loves this,” she said.
“You cannot cast pearls to swine…not that we are swine, but you simply cannot give a country something that they don't value.”
In contrast, Nantumbwe cited countries such as China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines which take the competition very seriously.
“When Miss Philippines for instance, she had a nationwide parade organized by the (government) for her and she went on to take up different roles, including working on joint projects with the Government,” she said.
“But here, a girl gets crowned and you start insulting her the following day. You question if she is Ugandan, if she is beautiful enough; while other countries are congratulating their winners.”
A number of Miss Uganda winners over the past years have had to endure backlash, ridicule and harsh criticism from the public, including the reigning queen Hannah Karema Tumukunde, who had her nationality questioned immediately after being crowned.
Leah Kalanguka was rejected by the public in 2014 because "she wasn't beautiful to the Miss Uganda standards".
When Phiona Bizzu was announced in 2012, there was booing and some walked out of the event. She was rejected on the same grounds as Kalanguka.